Covering unit



July 7, 1942. p vo T ET AL 2,289,298

COVERING UNIT Filed May 31, 1940 INVENTOR PAUL 4. Vd/GT. CORTLAND? I? 44458 JR. M414 75;? in AN.

b v 4/ K RNEY ' late wood grainlng.

' and depressions have been arranged in bands to Patented eye,

I one Paul A. Voigt, erose or, Cortlandt F.

estates es, in, lLarcont, Walteriiii. Sullivan, K

1 1 N. Y asngnors tolIo-ville- Corporation, Newiz'orh, N. Y... a coration oii\ New York Application May 31, rest, Sesiai No. scenes (or. is)

5 Cla.

e present invention relates to improvements in cove units for roofs and side walls, and

of a hardened, compressed, cementitious composition.

p The advantageous properties of units of the above-referred-to type have long been recognized, but their acceptance by the trade in substitution for conventional wooden shingles has been restricted due to their appearance of artiflciality, particularly when made in the relatively large sizes necessary to secure economical application. Heretofore, attemptshave been made to surface the units to overcome this disadvantage and to relieve the monotonous appearance of the units.

. These proposals include the provision of alternating ribs and depressions in an attempt to simu- In some instances, the ribs divide the surface? of the unit into what is intended-to portray a plurality of shingles in adjacent course-wise relationship. However, the

depressions defining the ribs must be relatively particularly to units of a rigid nature composed wide and deep if they are to perform these functions, with the result that the actual appearance of the units is-v ery foreign to that of wooden shingles and, in fact, the appearance of artificiality is accentuated rather than the contrary. Actually, conventional wooden shingles have a rather sire grain which does not stand out to any great extent, their mostprominent surface feature being the kerf marks comprising comparatively shallow concentricgrooves left by the saws which sever the shingles from the block. A wall covering of wooden shingles owes its distinctive. appearance principally to the presence of the kerf marks forming a subdued background effect and the irregularities in surface levels between adjacent shingles of a course.

The principal object of the, instant invention is the provision of a covering unit, particularly a siding or roofing shingle, composed of a hardened, compressed, cementitious composition, and

closely simulating the appearance of one or more partial courses of wooden or similar shingles laid in contiguous relationship.

Another object of the invention is the provi- I Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the unit of Fig. I

Fig. 3 is anelevational view depicting a plurality oi the units laid in assembled relationship on .a side wall or the like;

Fig. i is an enlarged sectional view taken on v the line d& of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modification of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and'particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a covering unit in accordance with the invention comprises a slab. of a.

hardened, compressed, cementitious composition, particularly an asbestos-cement composition of the type now commonly used in the manufacture of so-called asbestos-cement aiding and roofing shingles. The unit it includesa face I! to be exposed, which, in accordance with preierred practice, is impressed to divide it into two or more bands It to simulate two ormore partial shingle courses laid in normal overlapping relationship. The bands II are, in turn, divided into a plurality of laterally adjacent individual shingle simulating areas l6, the contiguous edges of which are at different levels.

The simulations of the plurality of shingle courses and, as well, theindividual shingles of each course are obtained by unequal compression of the unit prior to hardening of the cementitious content. In the normal manufacture of the units, they are stacked, with press plates inserted between adjacent units, and the stack is subjected to heavy pressure between press platens of a hydraulic press or the like. In the present instance, the desired surface configuration is obg tained by providing the press plates with a surface contour which isthe reverse of that to be impressed on the unit.

In addition to the individual shingle and shingle.-

course simulationsimpressed in thesurface 'of the unit, each of the simulated shingles is provided with a surface contour in imitation of the saw kerf lines of a conventional wooden shingle,

as illustrated at l8 in Figs. 1 and 2. The latter are relatively shallow depressions of substantially concentric arcuate form. The units may also be recessed at their upper ends, as indicated by the numeral 20, to receive, when the units are adapted for ready assembly on a side wall or roof to provide a weather-tight structure.

Our invention will be more fully understood and further objects and. advantages thereof will I become apparent when reference is made to the 1 more detailed description thereof which isto follow and to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a covering unit in accordance with the invention;

assembled on a side wall, roof, or the like, the

butt edges of units of the next adjacent overlapping course. Preferably, the-shoulder 22, defining the recess 20, is of such height that the thickness of the exposed butt edges of the over-' lapp ng units is equal in height tothe shoulder 24, defining the butt edgesof the upper simulated shingle course It. As a result, when a. plurality of the units are assembled on the wall,

. uniformity ofapparent butt. thickness between real courses and simulated courses is obtained. The depressions I8 and the recess 20 are suitably obtained by providing the reverse of these feaassembled relationship, as on a side wall, roof,.or-

the like. As illustrated, the units of each course are laid in staggered relationship with units of adjacent courses with the butt edge of each next higher course seated in the recess 20 of the next lower course. The joints between adjacent units of each course are closed as by backer strips 2!, suitably comprising an asphalt saturated ra felt or the like. The units are secured in position by nails. 28 passing through preformed perforations Ill.

Covering units in accordance with the invention very closely simulate the appearance of a plurality of individual wooden shingles, due, in

' part, to the subdivision of the relatively large exposed area of normal wooden shingles.

the graining to break up the unit into smaller visual areas being entireiyunnecessary. Furthermore, the appearance of individual shingles is dense than those portions which have been less I compressed, with the result that the denser portions absorb less moisture, and hence, do not become darkened by the deposit of dirt and other foreign matter thereon to the extent that the less impervious portions do. As a consequence, after the units have been laid for a short time, the division between individual shingle simulations is enhanced by shadow lines.

- The unit has been described above as preferably including the horizontal shoulder 2| to divide it into two partial course simulations. However, in many instances this feature may be eliminated and each individual shingle simulation extended from the butt edge to, or substantially to,

the upper edge of the unit as shown in'Fig. 5 to define a single partial course. The latter is particularly applicable where it is desired to simulate shingles laid with a wide exposure. The butt receiving recess 20 may also be eliminated as indicated in Fig. 5, the recess having sub- What we claim is:

1. A covering unit composed of a hardened, compressed, asbestos-cement composition, said unit comprising a surface to be exposed divided into a plurality of laterally adjacent individual shingle simulating areas, each of said areas having its lateral edge portions at diflerent elevations than the edge portions of the contiguous areas, said edge portions of less elevation being more compressed than contiguous edge portions of greater elevation, the faces of said areas including relatively shallow depressions.

2. A covering unit composed of a hardened, compressed, asbestos-cement composition, said unit comprising a surface to be exposed divided into a plurality of laterally adjacent individual shingle simulating areas, each of said areas having its lateral edge portions at different elevations than the edge portions of the contiguous areas, said edge portions of less elevation being more compressed than contiguous edge portions of greater elevation, he faces of at least certain of said areas including generally concentric, arcuate depressions.

3. A covering unit composed of a hardened, compressed, asbestos-cement composition, said unit comprising a surface to be'exposed having longitudinally extending bands simulating shingle courses in overlapping relationship, the butt edge of a simulated overlapping course being elevated with respect to the adjacent portion of a simulated overlapped course. said bands being divided into a plurality of laterally adjacent shingle simulating areas, each of said areas having its lateral edge portions at a different elevation than the edge portions of the contiguous areas, the me.-

' unit comprising a surface to be exposed having stantial merit but not being essential to the main effect desired, namely, the simulation of wooden shingles. Such units, similarly as those including the shoulder 24, closely simulate the appearance of a plurality of wooden shingles, due to the shingle simulating areas at different levels at their contiguous edges, the imitated saw kerf lines, and the weathering effects resulting from the different densities of the material at the diflerent levels.

Having thus described our invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to, but that various changes and modifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all fallin within the scope of the invention as defined by thesubioined claims.

longitudinally extending bands simulating shingle courses in overlapping relationship, the butt edge of a simulated overlapping course being elevated with respect to the adjacent portion of a simulated overlapped course, said -bands being divided into a plurality of-laterally adjacent shingle simulating areas, each of said areas having its lateral edge portions at a different elevation than the edge portions of the contiguous areas, the

material of the unit at the portions of less elevation being more compressed than at contiguous portions of greaterelevation, the faces of said areas including shallow depressions.

5. A covering unit assembly comprising a plurality of covering units composed of a hardened. compressed, asbestos-cement composition and laid in. overlapping courses with the units of each course recessed to receive the butts of units'of an overlapping course, each of said units comprising a surface to be exposed divided into a plurality of laterally adjacent individual shinglesimulating areas, each of said areas having its lateral edge portions at a different elevation than the edge portions of the contiguous areas, said edge portions of less elevation being more compressed than contiguous edge Portions of greater elevation, the faces of said areas including shallow depressions.

PAUL A. VOIGT. CORTLAND! F. AMES, JR. WALTER G. SULLIVAN. 

